Welcome everyone. It’s great to be here for today’s heavy-duty truck reveal.

We’re just about a month into another glorious season of pro and college football and we’ve already seen some incredible performances.

As an announcer, I love calling great plays, the ones people remember for years to come.

I even love something as simple as calling out the great names associated with the game… some names are just fun to call during play, names that mean something… names like Aikman… Young… Romo… Schaub… Dez Bryant… J.J. Watt… Johnny Football… all fun to say.

I’ll tell you two more names that mean something… that are great to say… Silverado and Sierra!

I gotta tell ya, in the world of sports, it’s amazing how the level of play just gets better and better with each new season … the competition gets more fierce, and the individual performances more intense.

I can see the same thing happening here today with these new trucks.

The only thing bigger than football in Texas is, of course, trucks. And like everything else here, when it comes to trucks, the bigger the better, which makes this the perfect place for this event today.

The new Silverado and Sierra light-duty trucks are on the road now, and now the folks at Chevrolet and GMC are unveiling these all-new Heavy Duty pickups that, like the record-setting athletes of today, raise the bar with their performance and capabilities. They are truly All-Pros that I’m pleased to share the stage with today.

And I’m thrilled to be partnering with GMC once again to bring you ESPN’s Monday Night Football. It’s a tradition that’s nearly as important as the State Fair of Texas…
Watching NFL football on a Monday night!

Now while I can quote you football stats and figures all day, I’m not as well-versed on the details for these trucks. So let me introduce someone who can really fill you in on the game plan.

And the 2014 Chevrolet Impala received perhaps the highest praise we could have hoped for when Consumer Reports said it was the best sedan it has ever tested.

With a score of 95 out of 100, it rated better than cars costing as much as $20,000 more.

We also introduced some critical new cars, which are making their first appearance at the State Fair this year, including the Chevrolet Corvette Coupe and convertible Stingray and … the Cadillac ELR and CTS…

…and some great SUVs built right here in Arlington, Texas: the GMC Yukon and the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban.

Be sure to check them out when you have a moment.

And we’re well on our way to updating our entire truck line-up.

We started with the light duty pickups – the 2014 Silverado and Sierra 1500s.

Customers are finding that these new trucks are stronger, smarter and more capable than ever before, with all-new cabs and interiors, distinctive exterior designs, three new powerful and efficient engines, and the latest in connectivity options.

And we have much more in store on the truck front.

You see, our competitors are going to market with two trucks… a light duty and a midsize in the case of the imports… a light duty and a heavy duty with the other domestics.

But at Chevrolet and GMC, our three-truck strategy allows us to offer the most comprehensive lineup of pickups available:

Light Duty, Heavy Duty and Midsize.

For customers who have serious towing and hauling requirements, we will offer new heavy-duty versions of the Silverado and Sierra.

And on the other end of the truck spectrum, we will soon introduce the new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, all new midsize trucks that we believe will reinvent a key segment of the truck market.

Colorado and Canyon are aimed at customers seeking a versatile and fuel-efficient alternative to full-size pickups.

Our goal is simple: to meet the needs of the broadest possible customer base—

and delight them.

No compromises…

Our three-truck strategy lets customers choose precisely the right truck for their needs.

And for millions of customers who tow and haul, heavy duty pickups are exactly what they are looking for.

More than 25% of full-size pickups sold in the U.S. are Heavy Duties.

That added up to about 435,000 trucks in 2012.

HDs are the workhorses that keep many businesses running, year in and year out.

But retail customers can also require some pretty significant capabilities, primarily for towing and hauling heavy loads.

The average towing weight for HDs is 9,200 pounds, compared to

3,600 pounds in a light duty.

Average hauling is 1,800 pounds – twice as much as a light duty.

But those are averages. One size does not fit the needs of all heavy duty customers. Instead, they tailor their truck to their specific needs.

And I’m happy to say that Chevrolet & GMC each offer more than 150 different combinations of powertrains, body styles, and much more to meet those needs.

The 2015 Silverado HD and Sierra HD are major updates on a truck that was all-new under the skin for 2011.

That’s when we introduced an all-new chassis with fully boxed frames, along with an updated Duramax diesel and Allison transmission.

The current Silverado and Sierra HD are still recognized leaders.

As I said, they were the segment leaders in J.D. Power IQS.

Sierra also was the segment leader in the J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study… Silverado won AutoPacific’s Ideal Vehicle Award for 2013… and Silverado and Sierra HDs earned Vincentric’s Best Fleet Value in America for 2013, an important endorsement for commercial customers.

But like Mike said earlier, this is a new season and we’re out to break some new ground with the next-generation HDs.

More important, the new Silverado HD has brains to go with that brawn, with integrated cruise control, Auto Grade Braking and a diesel exhaust brake that inspires confidence in tough towing situations.

Our other Heavy Duty is just as capable and just as impressive.

Introducing the 2015 GMC Sierra Denali 3500 HD…

(SIERRA REVEAL)

The new GMC Sierra HD is designed and engineered like no other.

It offers a new standard in HD pickup interiors with premium materials, exceptional comfort and perhaps the quietest cab in the business.

That goes a long way toward helping you feel more relaxed and refreshed at the end of a hard day on the job or on the road – especially in this Denali version,

which provides an even higher level of refinement and distinguished comfort.

But those are just the highlights.

To give you a look at some of the details of these new trucks, here’s executive chief engineer and good friend of mine, Jeff Luke.

JEFF LUKE, Executrive Chief Engineer, Trucks

Thanks Mark.

As Mark noted, heavy duty pickups like the new Silverado and Sierra are tools people use to tow big trailers and haul heavy loads.

A great tool doesn't just get the job done, it makes the job easier.

And helps you feel ready to tackle the really tough tasks.

So we engineered the 2015 Silverado and Sierra HDs to be stronger, smarter and more confident across the entire lineup … from 2500 work trucks through 3500 crew cab diesel duallys.

(EXTERIOR)

Take the outside.

You may first notice that the exterior sheet metal is all new, with strong differentiation between the Chevrolet and GMC brands.

Each features a large grille with chrome surrounds and prominent

cooling intakes, unique headlamps, and HD specific hoods.

But the beauty of the new Silverado and Sierra goes far beneath the skin, with a focus on aerodynamics for a quieter cabin… and on powertrain cooling for maximum performance under the toughest conditions.

We sealed the front end so we use the cooling air more efficiently, and we isolated the air intakes for the engines so they breathe cooler air.

The result is more consistent power, especially when towing a large trailer, even on a hot Texas day.

(FRAME / SUSPENSION)

Of course, at heart, heavy duty pickups are about the ability to work hard, year-in and year-out.

And the 2015 Silverado and Sierra HDs build on a great foundation, starting with the frame.

It's actually a family of fully-boxed frames, which use large cross sections, hydroforming, and high-strength steels in key areas.

The stiffness of the frames contributes to improved ride, handling and comfort, while the strength of the frames enhances payload and towing capability.

The torsion bars are precisely tailored to the weight ratings of the trucks.

And they allow easier trim height adjustment to account for snow plows or other accessories.

Rear springs are asymmetrical leaf springs, which provide a great balance of ride and load carrying.

Plus, their long-term durability has been proven under the toughest conditions.

(CONFIDENCE & CONTROL)

Confidence and control are critical when you are towing a heavy trailer, and the new Silverado and Sierra HDs will make the toughest towing easier, thanks to the intelligent integration of cruise control, Auto Grade Braking, and the Diesel Exhaust Brake.

The integration of these features helps the 2015 Silverado and Sierra maintain a set speed up and down grades, even when towing a heavy trailer in mountainous terrain.

The customer sets the desired speed, and the truck will do the rest -- increasing or decreasing power, downshifting to increase engine braking, and engaging the exhaust brake on diesel engines to help control descents.

You feel more confident and in control, because you aren't constantly working to stay a step ahead of the trailer.

(POWERTRAIN)

Because HD customers tailor their trucks to their specific needs, the 2015 Silverado and Sierra will offer a choice of three fuels -- gasoline, diesel or compressed natural gas.

The standard engine is a rugged 6.0-liter V-8, engineered and tuned for low rpm

pulling power and great dependability.

Customers can also choose a bi-fuel version of this engine, which can switch between gasoline and compressed natural gas.

And you can now get CNG capability in all three cab configurations… regular- double- and crew-cab… and on both 2500 and 3500 models.

For the ultimate in pulling power, nothing beats a diesel, and the capability of the